Calamity
by Lana.Of.WinterFell
Summary: His name is Ryden, the blood that runs through him is dark and evil, and he's a mutant. Both parents being serial killers, and having his grandfather be a homophobe and a racist about mutants was better and it didn't help that he had no idea what he was capable of. Everyone has a limit, what if he was the only one that could shatter his?
1. Destiny

The hand rises and falls in a slow motion; he cries out in agony, tears fly from his eyes and land onto the floor in front of him. It rises and falls again, and he screams again in pain.

"Insolent little fool." The harsh words spoke as the hand came into contact with his back leaving a welt upon him. "Disgusting." Rise and Fall. "Monstrosity." Rise and Fall.

A sigh escaped the his mouth as he fell onto his chair, exhausted. "Get me a drink."

He rose shaking and trembling, trying to re-button his shirt. "Yes grandfather." He spoke as he left out the door and locking the door behind him, only to slowly slide down the door and begin to sob.

 _BaDaSs_BiTcH is typing..._

He felt the vibration in his pocket and held his breath, remembering that he had to be somewhere. He slid the notification to the left, unlocking his phone.

 _From BaDaSs_BiTcH: YO! WHERE THE FUCK YOU AT! If you don't get here soon, I'm gonna kiss the guy you have a crush on._

 _To BaDaSs_BiTcH: YOU BETTER NOT YOU HOE!_

He laughs to himself, and gets up shakily avoiding putting to much pressure on his back. He steps shakily tone towards the street and looks to the right to see one of his grandfather's younger neighbor, looking shaken.

He noticed that the way the neighbor was trembling and taking quick glances towards him, alerted him that the neighbor had heard it all. And yet, this anger bubbled up inside him at the single thought that the neighbor didn't help him, even when he cried out in pain the neighbor lent no hand.

This sensation began to overwhelm him as he kept staring at the neighbor; they stumbled a little and clutched onto the fence, looking up at him shakily, blood seeping from their nostrils and their eyes. He walked over to them and looked down at them, "You should have helped." Was all he said as turned and began walking away, hearing the thump of the neighbor collapsing, smirking as he didn't call for help.

(a/n he doesn't know that it was him that caused that yet)

His footsteps echoed loudly in the dark night as he headed off to his school's dance; he didn't even want to go to it but his best friend after finding out that he had a crush on a guy at their school, ended up convincing him to go to the school dance to see if they could somehow get together if even for just a night.

He touched the cool metal of the doors, feeling the chill all the way to his spine, he trembled and bit his lip. With a sudden urge o strange confidence he threw the door open and walked into the dance, immediately overwhelmed with the loud noise and strange sensations he was getting from being surrounded by people.

He crept his way towards the girl's locker room, which is where she told him to meet her, twitching away from any physical contact that happened. He clutched the door with shaking anything over the noise and with another burst of confidence he opened the door and stepped in.

He stopped entirely, sadness and depression wrecking him in that instant. A tear slipped down his cheek as a slow song began to play that seemed undeniably sad at the moment, his hand falls against the wall as all he can do is stare as his best friend gets fucked by his crush. He thrusts over and over again, and she moans over and over again, and they kiss. Again. And again.

He leaves through the door he entered, slowly moving through the crowd moving his hips and body to the music. He turns his head noticing a boy being forced into the boys locker room, he hates bullies.

This feeling of strength creeps over him as he approaches the locker room, he slips in after them. He sees the boy dragged towards the shower, somehow he can feel the anger and the fear overwhelming him. It was when the water started and then the screaming, and then the abilities, did he fall to his knees. He heard the screaming in his head while he heard it in his ears, this uncontrollable feeling of intense pressure overwhelming him, choking out any screams. Pain exploded in his head as frightened voices and creams of terror filled his head.

 _Andy!_ A voce screamed out in his head and he whipped his toward the screaming boy, the pressure and intense waves of force coming off him, became nonexistent as he reached out his hand to him.

 _Andy!_ The voice shouted in his mind, closer now. He moved closer to the boy and brought their faces close feeling each others energy, seemingly connected.

 _ANDY!_ It shouted.

"Andy." He whispered as he pressed his lips to the boys lips, bringing the boy out of his sudden haze, their energies exploded and meshed. Both boys becoming enthralled and yearning for more, he gave up dominance to the boy and let him take control, allowing to push him to the ground and climb on top of him all while still kissing.

The doors burst open, and a girl stood there, mouth open in the form of an 'o'. "Andy." She whispered staring at the young boy who was on top of him. A blush spread across both their faces as Andy got off him, and avoided eye contact with all of them. The girl grabbed her brother's hand, "Let's go Andy."

"Not without him." Andy said pulling free and grabbing his hand and interlocking their fingers, causing him to blush even more.

She sighed and slapped her forehead with her hand, "Fine come on you two."


	2. Faith

The warmth of his hand in Andy's hand was astonishing; the intimacy, the feeling, the energy passing between them, the fact that he hasn't heard any voices, and the fact that Andy hasn't let go of his hand.

People pushed along side them, all trying to escape; they all began shoving around the door, pushing him against Andy, allowing him to feel Andy against him. He felt Andy tense up as he realized that he was aroused by this situation. "Sorry." He whispered passively against Andy's neck.

His breath hitched as crowd kept pushing, causing him to get closer and closer to Andy. His hands clenched into fists - his heart racing, breathing come faster - as he tried to cease his trembling. He raised his hand, the free on, purely on instinct, feeling the movement and energy of the people around them. "Move." His voice seemed to echo around them energy cascading from him, a whirlwind of sound, and then silence. The silence as the people around them obeyed, silence as the girl and Andy stare at him and shock. And then they were moving again, through the empty space, through the people, then out there door. Into the cool, crisp night, they were running towards her car but he stares at the sky and the stars.

"Come on." Andy whispers tugging him along and into the backseat with him, he smile as he squeeze Andy's hand a little tighter.

As they pull into their garage Andy grab's their hands and squeezes it once before letting go and getting out of the car, the girl notice this and turns to look back at him and frowns. "Not much of a relationship guy, sorry. I'm Lauren." She seemed nice and he didn't feel any malice towards him so he nodded his head.

"Ryden." He spoke, his voice coming out as mesmerizing and chilling all at the same time. Lauren froze and stared at him, then lunged at him but wrapped her arms around him. "I'm so sorry." She whispered.

She let go and then laughed as she maneuvered herself back into her seat, and then threw open her door. Ryden stared at the door, noticing his hand trembling a little, he sighed and bit his lip only to shove the door open and hope out. Staring at the stars again, the feelings he got from them always seemed to relax him, and now he knew why.

He followed in after Lauren, and almost ran into their mom, she looked upset and freaked. "Hi." He spoke timidly attracting everyone's attention, they all seemed shaken but stared at him a little cautious, "Can I use your bathroom?"

"Y-yes of course." She said staring at him, caution radiating off of her. "Down the hall and to the left."

He walked down the hall, a little shake in his hips, hoping to attract Andy's attention. His hand slides along the wall, the feelings and emotions that have built up in the old house flowing into him, as his eyes start to glow. He slid into the bathroom, but just stared in the mirror, stared at his face; the face of the serial killers' kid, the face of a killer, and the face of a scared boy. He stared at the glowing green eye's of a boy who should've been dead a long time ago.

This feeling of malice now flooded into him and he turned his head towards the direction, he slid his hand over the mirror - feeling it shatter - as he walked out of the bathroom and down the hall towards where they were.

"Get out of our house!" The house seemed to shake at the command in his voice, Andy, he spoke within his mind. He turned the corner and stared at the Sentinel Services officers staring at him, one of them a little pale.

"Hi." He said again - raising his hand in a tiny wave - he continued staring at the officers when one's hand, twitched and in an instant his hand was on his gun and pointing at me. Lauren turned pale as she turned to throw her hands out and create a shield, the other officers turned towards him to stop, and Andy stared shocked -like he didn't know what to do. But Ryden didn't falter, he kept watching a cynical smile on his face, his hand in the figure of gun, copied the officers movements, but instead of being like the officer and pointing it across from him, he raised it so it was pressed against his head.

The officer followed the same motion and pressed the gun against his head, he kept screaming 'stop' over and over again tears racing down his face; Lauren, Andy, and their mom stared at him in horror. "Click. Click. Boom." The gun went off and the mom screamed, Ryden stares in front of him and looks at the officer in front of him. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Jace Turner."

He stared at the boy in horror, knowing this kid was extremely dangerous but also knowing that something bad was about to happen.

Ryden smirked and stepped past the family, "it was a pleasure to meet you all" he whispered as a tear seemed to fall down his eye as he flicked his wrist towards the officers pushing him outside, "I guess this is goodbye Andy." He turned for once happy that his parents made him just like them, he opened his eyes and walked straight into Lauren's bubble shield - causing him to hit it and then fall backward.

"You're not going that easily, come on Ryden. You aren't going anywhere."

His eyes sparkled as he grabbed Lauren's outstretched hands and followed after her into the car, into the backseat. "Shield." He whispered as the back window shattered, Lauren responded quickly and threw up her shield as he noticed the car coming, he slammed his hand on the window next to him and the garage door exploded off and the oncoming car seemed to vanish. "GO!" He shouted as he began coughing up blood, Lauren grabbed him and pulled him close making sure he was alright.

The car pulled into a gas station and Ryden hopped out of the car to head in the direction of the store part, the door dinged and Ryden peaked over at the cashier who looked at him bored and unconcerned. Ryden skipped over to him and pulled a pack of gum from the display and placed in front of him.

"Will that be all?" His voice dull and boring, no emotion present at all.

"Nope, a pack of camels as well along with that red liquid lighter please."

He just stares at the kid in front of him mouth down and shakes his head, Ryden can feel him about to refuse. He sighs, "Give them to me." He can see it his powers working, he can feel the energy of the cashier changing into an obedient one, he plucks the cigarettes from the wall and the lighter from the counter and hands them to Ryden.

Ryden grabs the gum and turns to leave, but a hand grabs him and turns to face the man. The man is old yet strong, his grip furious and his eyes dangerous. "Kill him." The man stares confused right at the moment the cashier jumped over the counter onto him, resulting in Ryden becoming free. He pant's and grabs a knife hanging from one of the racks and bolts out of there towards the car, launching through the door and sliding in next to Lauren.

*Time Shift*

"What can I get ya hun?" The waitress asked, peppier then needed Ryden was still eating his gum as he looked over the menu sitting at the bar. "Mhm, how bout we start off with some Coffee and hashbrowns?"

"Alright then." She collected his menu and smiled as she started to walk off.

Ryden looked over to the wall and saw the sign for the restrooms and realizing that he hadn't gone for more than 6 hours, he really needed to go. He looked over to the family, biting his lip wondering if Andy was looking over at him. He sighed and left to go to the bathroom, unbeknownst to him that he was being watched by an older man - pedophile.

Ryden pushed into the bathroom and stared at his reflection, ever since that whole incident at their house he's new found powers have been out of control, it's like they want him to do bad things, it's like his powers were his parents. He watched as the door burst open and an old man wobbled in and laughed heading to the urinal - at first - but he turned around and locked the door.

He shoved Ryden against the wall and slammed his lips against Ryden's, his hands traveled down the boys body, grabbing his butt firmly when he reached it. Ryden struggled to push the old man off, no matter how hard he pushed the old man wouldn't get off, Ryden's hands touched the mirror behind him trying to access a good stable point.

A sudden feeling came over Ryden, one that he knew all to well. He opened his eyes, his glowing eyes, to see the old mans face. Ryden threw his head back and the mirror exploded, pure energy rippling off him, the old man flying off him as well; and then it was strange, this feeling that came over him. This sensation that seemed, wrong, but he didn't care. He threw his head down again, and everything was normal. The mirror was repaired, the bathroom was empty and undamaged; he turned around and stared at the mirror wiping off the blood from when the old man bit his lip. He smirked as the old man's face surfaced in the window, he slammed his fists against the mirror over and over again.

Ryden looked down at the sink and turned on the faucet, he placed his hand under the water and smiled. He raised his dripping hand to the mirror - eyes still glowing, while still smiling - and tapped the mirror, it rippled from the spot where he touched it and the man screamed as it looked like he was washed away.

He turned and left the bathroom, his footsteps seemed to echo as he approached his spot. His eyes were still glowing as they made contact with Andy's, a small smile crossed his features as he winked at him.

Ryden sighed, and stirred his coffee around bored, a hand clamps down on his shoulder and he turns to face them - eyes aglow. He relaxed a little realizing that it was only Lauren. "Come on." She said wrapping her arm around his in a friendly way.

*Time Shift*

He skipped across the landing, bored. "Don't worry at first it's like a sneeze, it just happens, but as you learn you'll be able to control it. What were you feeling when you use your powers?"

"I just wanted to push them away."

"You certainly did push them away," she joked shoving him slightly, "What about you Ryden? What were you feeling the first time you used your powers?"

Ryden spun around to face them, blowing a bubble with the gum in his mouth, remembering the time he used his powers, the event that started it all. "That there were too many people...and we needed to hurry."

She laughed at his answer, "Why were you in such a rush?"

Ryden froze and he could feel Andy tense, "Claustrophobia."

"Okay that makes sense, not really." She whispers that last part to Andy who remained silent. An idea sparked in her as she pulled Andy along and grabbed Ryden's hand, "Come on I have an idea."

They stopped in front of the vending machine and Ryden watches as Lauren explained the basic way of learning how to control your powers, he tilted his head as the vending machine ripped in half, he watches as a piece of metal flew into his shoulder, he watches as he doesn't scream in pain.

He swarms Lauren grabbing her hand, making sure she was alright. "Come on." He whispers, urging her back to the room. His hand slams against the wall as all the breath leaves him and his eyes turn completely silver. He was cold, so incredibly cold.

"Ryden."

"Ryden."

"Ryden."

"Damn it Ryden." The voice shouts, and then there was this warm feeling. And he opened his eyes, staring at this boy, who he thought no longer wanted to talk to him anymore. He pulled away and stared at him, a small smile on his lips. "You okay?"

"Yeah."

"Alright then." He whispered interlocking their fingers, the rest was all a blur.

He doesn't really remember stealing the car, or the other car or the drone incident. He just remembers Andy, and he remembers their lips entangled, and...the gas station bathroom.

"We're here." He heard the dad say as he pulled Andy out his way, he saw the man first and already didn't trust him.

"Sentinel Services." He whispered as he turned his head to the direction where the cars showed up, and there they were running throughout an abandoned building. And the room that almost took Andy, he stopped breathing coming out in chills. His eyes a maleficent green, he began walking towards the direction the portal would be opened, he didn't know how he knew that he he just did, it was weird. But he raised his arms, hands in the forms of guns. Repetition, he thought, how wonderful.

"Click." They were still running he was a little behind them.

"Click." The officer felt weird but thought it was the fact that this was his first mission.

"Boom." The word echoed through the empty building and the guard lost all control, Ryden pressed down the thumbs and the gunshots went off. Two agents down, the possessed officer turning to shoot more. A maleficent laugh echoed throughout the building as Agent Turner looked up in horror, "Shatter." The guard screamed as an explosion of pain sounded throughout his head, and he collapsed to the floor. Everything was wrong, his mind was falling a part everything was falling a part, everything was still.

"Capture the green eyed boy." His voice echoed throughout the building and Ryden bit his lip, knowing that he was screwed.

He saw the portal open and smiled, "Thank you for letting me fall in love, Andy Strucker." He whispered as he shoved Andy through the portal as a shot sound out, and he felt the paralysis bullet enter his system, losing all control of his body. And then a second shot and a strong push, spinning through the air he could see Andy's dad smiled at him as he pushes Ryden through the portal.

It closes and everything goes dark. "Fuck.


	3. Parting

Something was wrong; Ryden could feel it. This overwhelming sense of dread, of _conflictment_ had him gasping for air. The pain he felt was subsiding, but there was a new kind of pain. It was crude and inhumane, eating away at his sanity. There was this pounding in his head–like the beating of a drum–and each new pound was in tempo with a scream.

Ryden slowly opened his eyes, feeling the destruction within his mind grow each second that passed; yet, strangely... he was at _ease_. He knew Andy was near, and that simple fact kept him conscious; it shouldn't have mattered as much as it did, but–despite how hard he tried to deny it–it still did.

He saw her then, the portal lady–her magenta-black hair and jade green eyes were unmistakable–was lying on the ground, her thoughts like scrambled eggs; all around the place.

The pounding began once more, as strong as ever. A scream erupted from his lips–it seemed to come from his very core, it was so loud–as his newfound, dark powers began to act up. The light above them–maybe a lightbulb?–shattered, and the wood around him was ripped apart.

His eyes glowed the brightest green, then the purest silver, followed by the most beautiful blue, and going back to the wonderful, but haunting emerald green. So many voices– _too many_. So many emotions– _please, make it stop_.

Someone took a step near him–a small one, really–and his powers acted out, throwing pure force at them, "Enough!"

A hand grabbed him and forced him up, making him stare at the rich brown eyes that belonged to the hand. Fear and fury took over him; he couldn't see, or think straight anymore. It was chaos; utter chaos in its purest form. He wanted to let Andy–because who else could it have been that made hi m feel this much chaos?– go and yet, he wasn't able to.

 _Monster_.

The thought echoed through the chaos as his eyes snapped upward toward the sky. It was like dropping a pin into a room that was bustling with sound, but somehow felt quiet; the word echoed throughout the walls of his mind like teardrop falling on a screen.

 _Monster_. _Monster_. _Monster_.

Ryden's breathing was slowing, his powers trying to act out, and cease this idiotic notion of him being a monster. But how could they, when it may be true? One could deny the truth; but stopping it was a whole other thing.

 _Monster_.

He recognized the thought almost immediately, the chaos turning to self-destruction and sorrow. Tears streamed down his face like rain as he turned, and stared at Andy. Andy, who looked at him with a mix of pure emotion and horror.

Ryden laughed silently to himself, shrugging off the muscled man off him, and lightly pushing him away. The sound coming from his mouth should've been filled with mirth and beauty, but instead, it carried the weight of death, and sorrow of loss. Loss... _grief_.

The grieving of the humanity Ryden _thought_ he lost. With that thought–that stream of endless thoughts–he pressed his finger to his right ear, like a fingergun.

He spun and faced Andy –it took courage, but honestly; what else did he have to lose? Ryden smiled, waterfalls of grief still travelling down his cheeks, the sorrow threatening to drown him slowly.

He met Andy's eyes– _god_ , his eyes– and mouthed the words that made little pain fade away, but more heat slip into his chest. Beautiful and horrible how the truth could hurt, yet save.

' _I fell in love with you, my shining knight_ '

He pressed the thumb down, and the full force of his abilities shot forward; he didn't know much about them, but he knew enough. He knew enough to understand it was going to destroy his mind, and therefore stop his heart.

"I said enough." Ryden's mouth was wide open–was it possible for a jaw to _actually_ hit the floor?–staring at this man who had yanked his hand away, and prevented him from ending it all. _Bitch, the hell?_ The tension in the air began to lessen as he kept staring at the strange man.

"Why?" The words slipped out of Ryden's mouth before he could even think of stopping them, his hand falling to his side like a rag, "Why stop me from ending this monster?"

"You're not a monster." The man said with unrivalled intensity, clapping his hand down on Ryden's shoulder. "You're a mutant."

He scrunched up his nose and turned to walk back to the portal lady on the bench. Ryden's tears still fell as he was left to stand there in the center of the room, completely alone. He didn't have time to think about the words, about how it changed everything; life never gave him enough _time_.

"Watch out!" He lifted his head up with the speed of a worm, only to watch as the bed of a truck came flying toward him. _Oh, great_.

 _RYDEN!_ He heard Andy's scream, but it didn't come from the boy's mouth; it came from his mind. Yet another thing he had no time to delve into, considering the current...ah, _situation_. He could only watch as the truck came for him, and the beefy man covered Andy and his sister.

"Return to the ashes." He whispered–he actually didn't have a clue in the world what the hell he was doing–his eyes turning the color of the most fiery, golden flames as he looked at the truck-bed. It kept moving and, right as it hit him, it exploded into ashes.

Everyone could undoubtedly feel the raw _power_ radiating off of him; as far as anyone knew, there was no mutant alive who could do such a thing. The power could choke you; just as it nearly choked him a few minutes ago.

Ryden looked down at his hands, his jaw dropping slightly, eyes watching in amazement as gold energy flowed around him. He peaked over at Andy, and saw the energy interlocking him with Lauren.

"Together we stand. The wolf, destined to tackle and devour the lost god. Unforeseen calamity awaits all." His voice changed, sounding like an ancient being speaking; not a sixteen-year-old who had no idea what was going on in his life.

"What the fuck?" Ryden muttered, his voice back to normal, just as his eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he collapsed like a puppet without a string.

"Hey, Rye. Look at me. Rye. Come on, Rye. I'm sorry." It was the moment Andy whispered those words while holding Ryden, that the boy's eyes flew open.

"I like you calling me that." He blushed staring at the guy he fell in love with, "Thank you."

"For what?" He laughed, helping Ryden up and watching him closely. Watching the way he strode, the way he smiled, and the way he looked at him with those eyes of...a monster. His hands began trembling a little, as he continued staring at Ryden.

"For calling my name." Ryden peaked over Andy's shoulder as a portal opened behind him, a cop holding a gun out. A deafening sound resonated through the room–through Andy's vey soul–as the man pulled the trigger.

Ryden shoved Andy out of the way, eyes wide, but lacking the fear he thought he'd feel. The bullet connected with his chest, and he could feel it penetrate his lungs, lodging itself into his spine. _No..._

This time, the voice of Andy in his mind wasn't a scream; it was a grief stricken, _heartbroken_ whisper. "I'm sorry, my love." Ryden coughed out, blood spraying all over Andy. Not that the boy seemed to mind, pain overriding his mind.

"Rye, don't do this to me. Come on Rye, I just got you back." His voice cracked as he stared down at Ryden, tears blurring his vision, like a veil of sorrow.

Then new anger–one unlike any other–rose up, uncontrollable and unquenchable. Andy turned, and roared at the cop like a lion mourning his hunted family, his arms thrown out. An invisible force filled the room, making the other mutants stumble; the cop and all the other cops, however, were thrown back.

The cop that shot Ryden, though, was thrown back the hardest, back connecting with the car's windshield with a sickening _crunch_. Andy couldn't help but feel rapt satisfaction fill him, before the crumpling grief flooded back in. It was a wonder his knees didn't give out.

The portal was shut as the portal lady fell over, her head connecting with the floor. Andy should've felt bad, or apologized, given it was his powers that did it. But he couldn't do it, couldn't think about _anything_ but Ryden. Ryden, who was bleeding out on the floor just a few feet away.

The tears, which he'd managed to keep in, spilled over his cheeks like molten lava as he rushed to Ryden. Andy collapsed next to him, pulling the increasingly pale boy to into his arms with tenderness nobody had ever thought he had in him.

His head gently fell onto Ryden's chest, his ear placed over his heart, which beat slower, and weaker by the second. He intertwined his fingers through Ryden's, and a sob racked his body. _Please, please, please..._

"Please don't go, Rye. I love you." Andy whispered against Ryden's chest, as the boy he loved gave his final breath. _Please...don't leave me._


	4. Reminiscence

**Ryden's POV**

 _It's over, isn't it?_

The atmosphere was as cold as winter, although I didn't know where I was. The earth felt unmoving and as thick as a rock, even though I couldn't touch it. "What's your name, my child?" A disconnected voice, as empty as the void I felt inside of me, seemed to resonate through the consuming darkness.

"Ryden." My quiet murmur came from still lips, and I couldn't even feel how the words got through.

"Ah, Ryden; the last living pure bred creation. Well, well, well; your blood is _dark_ , and your mind is _broken_. Will you shatter the world under your _undying_ pressure, or will you summon from the heavens the end? Only the _gods_ will know, what you, the last one, shall do." The voice laughed coldly, as if amused by the thought.

"I wonder...will the white wolf slay the monster, or will you shatter the wolf that you love so _dearly_?"

"Enough!" I screamed, cracks seeming to spread throughout reality itself. Or was it not reality, but the darkness of a broken mind, and overwhelming power?

"Your powers grow with _every single breath_ you take, yet your mind continues to break with _each action_ _you make_. Why is this? Why are _you_...you? How is it that you survived but _I didn't_! HOW IS IT THAT YOU'RE STUCK IN _LIMBO_ WHILE I'M TRAPPED IN _HELL_?"

The darkness seemed to tremble violently, and my breath caught on itself. I could somehow feel the danger, the aura of pure _power_. " _What_ are you?" I spoke weakly, feeling my 'consciousness' flicker.

"I'm the first pure mutant, as you are the last. Free me, or life will turn to _ashes_ for you." _Tough demand, bitch_. I obviously didn't voice my thoughts, since I seemed to be with an entity _way_ beyond me. Maybe not more powerful, but it sure as hell knew more about...whatever _this_ was than I did.

"I'm dead, though, aren't I?"

"You're very stupid, yes?"

"I am not." Indignation coated my tone like butter on a toast, and I huffed.

"We of the pure blood power do not _die_ , _we transcend_!" _Well, sorry. I'm not exactly an expert on whatever the fuck 'we of the pure blood' are_. The darkness exploded with light, like a rising holocaust in the middle of the night. My eyes flew open, immediately meeting a huge, beautiful creature of golden scales, and majestic features.

" _Holy shit_ , a dragon." I whispered, eyes widening as they trailed over the body of the mythical creature. The dragon's scales seemed to glow with its own light, while its eyes were the brightest–was that even possible?–shade of black.

The dragon huffed, standing high and mighty, as if unimpressed by me. I wouldn't be surprised, considering the fact that I was currently standing in front of a creature that seemed to have had a rather interesting encounter with King Midas.

"But we can make the choice of transcending, or we can return to our body. If you _do_ choose to return, however, there are fatal consequences." It continued as if I'd never interrupted, black orbs roaming my body. Its voice hadn't changed, if you ignored the slightest reptilian hiss it had acquired.

My head snapped back towards it, eyes immediately narrowing as the cogs in my brain started turning. "Consequences?" I asked carefully, watching the scales shimmer like a ball of sunshine was dancing right above it. _Hoe, is that an illusion?_

"If you return, you will carry the stench of death with you. The spirits of both the future _and_ the past will come to claim you. But you are a pure blood, and trust me; we do not die easily." The dragon raised its head, huffing with pride. _We die but don't die, and you're proud? Dude, you sure we're even related?_

"One question."

"What?"

"Why are you pretending to be a dragon?" I smirked, cocking my head to the right, eyes gleaming with curiosity.

The dragon turned and let fire crawl from its mouth, watching it encompass the entire area. An objectively beautiful young girl stood in its place, looking at me with the same contempt the dragon's gaze once held. Her hair was long, blonde as it if was gold we were talking about. Her skin was fair, with hints of the texture and shimmer that belonged to her dragon. Her eyes pitch black and yet so bright, her features seductive yet sad. She reminded me of the very night sky, with her contrast between shadows and light.

"Because that is what _supposedly_ made our line." She shrugged nonchalantly, casually clasping her hands behind her back. The white gown she bore fluttered, the golden embroidery just barely keeping up with the natural gleam of her hair and skin.

"Ok, back to the whole returning to my body thing," I huffed, placing my hand on my hip as I glared holes into her skull. "How does it work?"

She smirked, her skin shimmering like her scales had, rippling in the same manner. "Just. Wake. _Up_."

 _No. It's not. I won't let it be._

 **Andy's POV**

 _Can we recover? Can I? Can I feel the flame? Can I see the day?_

I felt like a blind man, as I stood besides my sister. I was going to bury, to say _goodbye_ to the one person whom I'd loved, and whom had loved me back unconditionally. I felt frozen in time, I felt like I lacked something. Overall, I felt completely destroyed. Shattered beyond repair.

We gathered under the tree behind the Mutant Underground Headquarters, uneasiness suffocating the few people that showed up. I felt like an empty frame of myself, sitting on a shelf; the picture and memories I held were all but burnt away.

I looked over at John, my breath heavy and my eyes rimmed by red. "We may have been unable to befriend, or even get to know Ryden, but he was a hero and mutant. He would've fit in nicely, and he would've made the X-men proud." _Yeah, he would've. He would've been such a wonderful warrior. Scratch that; he already was._

"Together we stand, together we fight, and together we die." The members of the Mutant Underground whispered in unison, looking down.

My hand crept its way over to Lauren's hand, and gripped it tightly; I feared if I let go, I would fade into thin air. Mom took a step forward, standing in front of Rye- _his_ corpse, surrounded by white roses, purple irises, and yellow lilies. The flowers made his overly pale skin seem all the more beautiful, his freckles jump out, and his beautiful blonde hair shine even after no life was left. _No, no, no; I can't_. I would've ran away right then and there, had it not been for the fact Lauren held me in place.

"Thank you for protecting Andy." Mom said quietly, softly pressing a kiss to his forehead. It felt like a brand was being pressed into my heart, given he didn't react at all. It just made the fact he was gone all the more redundant, and _way_ too painful to bear.

Lauren stepped forward, letting go of my hand. I clenched my fists as tightly as I could, feeling pain begin to fill me as my nails dug into my palms. I didn't stop, however, simply digging them deeper; the pain kept me grounded, ironically keeping me together. It distracted me from the worse, serious, unbearable pain that no physical pain could match.

"Thank you for saving us." She mumbled, tears sliding down her face as she pressed her fingers against her lips and then laid them on his forehead. I could imagine how cold his skin would be under her fingers, and as the thought settled in my mind, warm blood touched my cold, shaking fingertips. I'd breached skin.

They both stepped back, and everyone's eyes landed on me. Usually, I would've panicked, or maybe even had a silent panic attack. This time, however, I could only feel the the burn of the _agony_ , the _grief_ that'd taken over my heart. The thickness of my own blood beginning to blossom from my palms, extracted by my nails.

My heart seemed to beat louder, _faster_ with every step I took. Each drove me closer to his body, which seemed to be both a death sentence, and a dream I could see, yet could never reach. It was a broken dream, after all.

I could feel oceans between us, separating two boys who had been fooling around, and had ended up falling in love. I remembered the taste of his lips, the warmth of his company, the freedom of his mind, and the shine of his eyes. I didn't even realize I was by his side until my bleeding hand clasped his cold one.

"Ryden," I whispered, my voice cracking as the tears I tried to hold back finally fell. I hadn't been able to bring myself to say, or even _think_ his name since he'd left my side forever. "Thank you for waking me up that one time. Thank you for taking my first kiss. Thank you for being there for me. Thank you for not letting my powers get out of control.

"And..." I hesitated, taking in a shaky, uncertain breath. His hand offered me no comfort, unlike how it had once been. Still, the pain I caused my free hand gave me the strength to continue. "Thank you for letting me fall in love with you." I finished painfully as I leaned over him, gently pressing my lips to his cold ones, one last time.

 _Everything bends until it breaks, and...I can't fix it. Not without you._

I backed away slowly, my heart breaking with each step I took away from him. Well, not breaking; it was far too late for that. More like...the darkness I carried inside chased me, and settled into my chest, along with despair.

John cleared his throat, looking up firmly. "Mhm, now with that, let's take our-"

Ryden's torso seemed to fly up, an extremely confused expression stitched onto his face. "What the-"

One of the people next to him screamed, throwing out their fist and slamming it into his face. Blood gushed from his nose as his hand flew up to cover it. "Ow, that hurt you, b-"

My arms enveloped him before I even knew I'd ran toward him, my hold tight enough to make him groan quietly. Harsh sobs racked through my body as I gripped him, the darkness in my chest blossoming into a shadowy valley of flowers. " _Never_. Do. That. Again...Asshole." I choked out, hitting his arm weakly in between words, my body slumping forward.

Ryden's hand snaked around my waist, pulling me closer, while his other hand ran its way through my hair. "I'm sorry, my love." He whispered against my neck, and I could only shake my head. I can't forgive, nor forget. I can love, though.

"Uh…didn't you die?" Ryden peaked over my shoulder to stare at Lauren, who looked about as confused as Ryden had when he...woke up?

"Yep, I sure did." He said easily, smiling as he cleared his throat slightly. "Andy, care to help me out of my grave?"

I glared at him, but laughed lowly as I helped him out. Our fingers naturally intertwined, a reflex I didn't mind at all; I held on tighter, smiling a bit. _Eventually, I'll forgive_. Not forget, though. The darkness was permanent; that much I knew. "Never leave me..please." My tone sounded pleading, yet held an edge of danger.

"I won't." Ryden whispered bringing our hands toward his mouth, and pressing his lips, now once again warm, to my knuckles.

 _This wounded heart won't give in; I won't let it._

 **Ryden's POV**

 _I know that I'd die without you. That's fine. I want oceans to part, so you never have to die._

I lay on the cot given to me, looking up at the ceiling, frowning slightly. It'd been a few hours since I rose back from the dead, and all but a few minutes of my time had been filled by lengthy questioning. Not to mention Caitlin had checked me up from head to toe, not satisfied until she was 100% I was completely fine.

Right now, I wanted nothing more than to be outside, away from people. I wanted to see the night sky, which was ironical, considering it reminded me of the blonde girl from before. Now _that_ was some seriously messed up shit, which I didn't tell anyone about. I should tell Andy, but...What if he gets angry? Or hates me?

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts as I stood up deftly. My footsteps were as silent as ever as I walked past the rest of the cots, and headed towards the open windows. A small grin graced my lips as the cool, fresh air hit my now slightly overheated body. My arms pulled me upwards as I climbed up the side of the building, legs firmly pushing off the wall. It's been a while since I've sneaken out, and apparently I'd lost the hang of it; since by the time I reached the top of the building, my arms were exhausted, and I was breathing like I'd just ran a marathon.

I giggled lightly at myself, staring up the night sky happily, watching all the stars twinkle. It immediately made me remember the girl, but the stars took my mind off it, at least a bit. "Rye?" I jumped, my heart beating faster.

My head snapped toward Andy, whom was peaking over the wall, swinging himself onto the roof. I laughed quietly, not very surprised at his presence. "Did you follow me?" I whispered to him, patting the spot next to me.

He frowned and clambered over, sitting next to me slowly. My eyes dropped down to his lap as an idea struck me. I grabbed his shoulders and swung myself onto his lap, so our eyes were now locked. "Tell me why you frown, my love."

He grabbed my waist and pulled me closer, nestling into my neck intimately. I yelped, blushing intensely. I had been the one to seat on his lap, but I didn't expect _this_ kind of reaction.

"I missed you so much." His voice grew from quiet to inaudible as I wrapped my arms around his neck, a sad smile lacing my lips together. "Please, erase these thoughts from my head." His eyes flew up and brown met green once again. My fingers slid up his neck into his hair, brushing his scalp lightly . His thoughts, dark and rough, seemed to be waging a war inside his head. Yes, he was right; my powers _could_ fix this, but...

I don't really know how to control them yet, and I don't know how much damage I'll cause within him if I try to use them. The consequences could be catastrophic, and the alternative wasn't any better. Which only left one option, which I didn't mind at all.

My lips crashed into his, freezing him mid-thought. But I do know a way to calm him, a unique way. _Take me_ , I whispered inside his mind, digging my fingers further into his hair.

His lips became aggressive as he understood what I meant, travelling down my neck as he sucked on a certain spot, nipping at a growing hickey. He raised his hips and ground them against mine, his tongue forcing its way into my mouth, immediately gaining dominance over me. It was like we were trapped in the mindset of a fiery passion that would burn us inside out, and yet wouldn't leave any scars.

He lowered me onto my back, leaning over me, hands on either side of my head. My eyes were pinned on him, him, only him; his lips swollen, his eyes dark, his cheeks flushed, his chest heaving. It was a captivating sight. "Do you love me?"

His voice broke the lustful silence that had settled over the roof, and I was stuck staring at him. "Wait, what?"  
"Do you love me?" He asked, fiercer than I'd ever seen him.

"Gods, you're such a dumb ass," I whispered as my eyes shifted to gold, and I crashed our lips together once again. "Of course I love you, stupid."

"Good." He yanked his shirt off, smirking at me. My eyes racked over his body, and in all honesty, there wasn't much to look at. No definition or muscle; yet I still found myself biting my lip as I stared at him.

I sat up, making him lean back enough for me to pull myself back onto his lap, our chests heaving and our breaths mixing. His hands landed on my hips and traveled up, catching the bottom of my shirt and lifting it over my head with ease.

We sat there for moments, whether many or few, simply staring at each other, shirtless in the dead of night. His hand pressed against my chest, and, very slowly, he pushed me back down onto the roof. His lips came down with me, and pressed soft kisses to my stomach. His hands unbuttoned my pants, sliding them down, while his fingers ghosted over my boxers.

He worked my pants free of my legs, and, as he looked over at me, his eyes seemed to glow with the hunger of a beast. "Kiss me." I whispered as he leaned down and kissed me softly. It was gentle, long, and so, so very powerful. My chest heaved with ecstasy as he pulled away, hands sliding off my body. "Your turn, my wolf." I mumbled quietly as he removed his belt and pants in almost a sexy way. Until his jeans got caught at his knees and he began to struggle, that is. I looked away as giggled racked through me, my cheeks tinted red.

He huffed in frustration as he got up, removing his pants while staring at me. My eyes traveled down his body, and landed on his growing tent. His eyes began to do the same, traveling from my flushed chest, down to the tent I was pitching in my boxers.

Something was different in this moment; my eyes turned a frightening greenish-yellow as his eyes took on a sort of dark-gold look to them. Our orbs reflected off each other, like mirrors. He got down on his hands and knees, beginning to crawl toward me like a beast hunting its prey.

My eyes sparked in response as he approached, my breath coming faster, my erection becoming painfully unbearable.

"Gods, I fucking love you." I muttered as he pounced on top of me, his teeth digging in my neck, drawing blood. A moan escaped my mouth as I came in my boxers, his tongue sliding over the cut, which earned another moan from me.

His fingers hooked on the waistband of my boxers, and he seemed to tear through them. I sensed it, though I'm still not quite sure how; our powers were amplifying each other's. The air hit my now stark naked body, and I instantly shuddered. His lips pressed against my stomach, then above my waist, then in my pubes, and then on the head, followed by one against the balls.

And then I was on my stomach, panting heavily, ass in the air, and face against the ground. "W-What are you doing?"

Something wet and rough ran up my ass crack, earning a yelp from me. "Shhhh." I heard Andy whispering as he kissed one of my butt cheeks, and then shoved his face closer to my entrance. His tongue slowly slid over it, starting to make slow circles around it. He pressed against it, and like a magic spell it slowly opened and allowed his hot tongue inside me.

"Holy mother fucker!" I cried out as he pulled out his tongue, and pressed his finger against my entrance instead.

"Relax." With that simple command, I did exactly as he said and shuddered as he inserted a single finger. It felt weird, but intense.

"More." I whispered, as he inserted another finger. I heard a laugh after realizing I was pressing my ass against his hand.

"You're already so loose; I think you're ready."

"Gods, finally."

I whined slowly as I felt his fingers exit me, leaving an empty feeling behind. Then, a new, much bigger pressure was entering me. My pupils slit, and cracks appeared around my hands as I hissed, feeling him collapse against my back. His breath was hot on my back, shivers running up and down my spine. "Damn, it feels so good."

I smiled, glad that he was enjoying this. I focused back on my breathing, getting used to the feeling of him inside me. He gently bit my back earning a moan from me, "Can I move now, Rye?"

I panted heavily once again, feeling this new sense of dominance, of _power_ radiating through me. "If you don't, I'll eat you." At the time, I didn't realize that I meant it.

He pulled back a little and then thrusted forward with a grunt; with that single movement I saw stars. It was explosive, intense; it was fucking _incredible_.

Then he did it again, and I couldn't help but moan, arching my back. His hand clamped down on mouth as he thrusted in again, and I moaned even louder. "Shh; they can hear you, ya know?"

I nodded my head, giving him a signal to keep going. He thrusted in again, and this time I could feel his balls slap against my ass. I leaned back, pressing my back against his chest, humming softly. Just sitting there in that moment, enjoying the presence of each other, felt amazing."I love you." I whispered as I put my hands back down, bending over. But his hand grabbed my side and twisted me over, so we were facing each other. I smiled at him, wrapping my legs around his waist, pulling him even deeper inside of me.  
"Damn, you're so fucking hot." He breathed, his thrusts getting faster and stronger. There was this feeling in my stomach, this burning desire that seemed to spread throughout my body. It grew with each of his thrusts, causing heat to coil in the pit of my stomach, like a hungry snake.

My back arched as the heat exploded, and I came all over my stomach. "Fuck." He whispered, as his rhythm became erratic, and he just thrust into me one final time. My mouth opened in pure ecstasy, feeling his cum seep inside of me, warmth spreading through me.

He collapsed on top of me, breathing heavily and shaking. We stayed just like that; him breathing in my scent, me breathing in his, and simply watching the stars above laugh at the sin we committed.

The voice from the girl–the one that belonged to the darkness–echoed throughout my head, causing my teeth to slam together. "The heavens wonder about you, and so do I. Will we smite you, or will you smite yourself, last one?" Laughter filled my head, before emptiness remained once again.

A lone, cold tear streamed down my face as I watched the sky shatter, and the stars ripple. I turned and looked at my sleeping lover, my mouth open with a promise fresh on my lips. "I'll find you, my love." I whispered as the darkness twisted around me, and my body turned into stars, flowing into the sky and becoming one with the night.

"Sweet dreams, little wolf." The girl says as she stepped onto the roof of the Underground, looking down at Andy.

"The game is just beginning, Heaven's Calamity."

 _I can't help but be wrong in the dark, 'cause I'm overcome in this war of hearts. That's fine, too. Your darkness somehow manages to light the way._


	5. Awakening

_The fence gate opened onto a crowded lawn, policemen and medical examiners swarming all around; the streets weren't any better, reporters and news vans were placed all around the house–each one with the slogan of a murderous mutants out there._

 _A young woman stood in the walkway of the gate, a small frown upon other heavenly features. She shifted her blond, blue streaked hair out of the hat she was wearing–all of it really was a bother. She gazed down on the rotting body, abandoned on the blood soaked grass; her eyes glanced up and stared at the neighbor, her frown seeming to grow deeper._

 _She returned to the main sidewalk and followed along to the neighbor's house; in a swift motion she was kicking the door down and striding in. Her eyes surveyed the scene that surrounded her, cold gaze analyzing the entire room._

 _"What the fuck did you do?" An elderly man shouted, coming down the stairs._

 _She ignored him as she approached the center of the living room and–sliding a glove over her hand–she swiped her finger along the hard wood under the chair. Crusty, as she'd expected._ Ha. _She knew what it was, and she knew_ exactly _how it got there._

 _"Bitch, I'm talking to you."_

 _Again, she ignored him and grabbed the chair that lay atop the spot she was examining. Their eyes made contact as she pulled the chair to the wall, as if it weighted nothing. She watched the grown man's jaw clench in fury, but brushed it off as she strode past him. Her gloved hands travelled across the wall of the stairwell as she made her way to the second floor, stopping to stare at the door, which obviously led to a room._

 _She pressed her hand against it, pushing it open slightly; her gaze examined the room as she noticed something on the ground. She bent down, lifting it with the gloved hand, and staring at the photo on the school ID that she had picked up._

Ryden Lang, _it read._

 _She pulled out a small plastic bag, sliding the ID card in it, as she left the room and traveled down the stairs of the awful house. When she hit the bottom of the stairs, the elderly man was yelling at a policeman about how incompetent they were with dealing with 'useless detectives'. She ignored him once more and approached the cop, saying nothing as she tapped the cuffs hanging from his belt and left the house._

 _She rolled her shoulders back and forth, removing a lollipop from her pocket and sliding it into her mouth as she gazed down once more at the body from the drive way. Her stare fell upon the police and medical examiners scattered throughout the lawn, her mind moving them into position and her eyes falling onto the dirt next to fence. Her gaze wandered over the foot impressions as her frown softened a bit._

 _She walked around the fence once more and crouched over the body, eyes sliding over the body first before reaching the head. The policemen and medical examiners watched her silently, confused as to the role that she should be playing in all of this. Her gloved hand traveled along the blood trails on the head; she pinched the chin, shifting the head to look at her for the sole purpose of her examining his eyes. She stayed like that for moments, the medical examiner wanted to say something but didn't for the weird feeling that he was receiving from her._

 _She released the head and turned to leave, as she had another destination to be in. A car stopped in front of the house and she opened the door to the back, getting in with an exasperated sigh. The car eventually stopped in front of the Sentinel Services' Headquarters, but instead of making a move to leave the car she stared at the building's front doors._

 _She notice the driver release of impatience, causing her to roll her eyes and exit the car, with a last wave of the middle finger before fully closing the door._

 _Once again, she was left staring the building in front of her. As her frown turned into a pout, she slowly walked to enter the building. Her body tensing at the uncomfortability that she always seemed to feel in this building, but she was on a mission so she would save all that baggage for later._

 _She sighed in relief, seeing the office of the man that she had to speak to. Tap. Tap. Tap. His eyes looked up to meet hers, confusion seemingly to overtake his entire gaze. "Can I help you?"_

 _She strode in, completely ignoring his question, and taking a seat in the chair across from him. "Have you ever heard of the story of Jamison Crowe or better yet The Scarlett Crow?" Her melodic voice rang out, causing the man to raise an eyebrow at her._

 _He opened his mouth to say something, still confused as to who this woman was, when she tossed her badge onto his desk. "Well, the story goes like this: a child was born back in the times of legend and lore, with beautiful blue-silver eyes. However, almost like a spell–or perhaps a curse–the child lost his sight. And as such of the ways of his people, he was to be offered as a sacrifice for the deity of his people."_

 _She picked up his coffee cup and took a long drink, her eyes never quite leaving his. "According to a diary from an ancestor of mine, though, the gods did not want the child to be sacrificed and so each god gave the child a gift: a power, per say." She explained, clearly intent in finishing her anecdote, whether he wanted so or not._

 _"The last god–whom the child was supposed to be sacrificed to–gave him a special gift; a gift of sight. But this sight was different; this is his only commonly known ability right now. With this ability he borrowed the sight of other people, or his will possessed their sight, or–terrifyingly so–if their eyes met his, he could completely take over their minds."_

 _"Spooky." She muttered, stretching her legs across the other chair. "And so Jamison Crowe became The Vessel of his people; that is until the Europeans decided to explore the sea and found this special land untouched by time; hell broke loose when their feet hit the ground. Basically, Jamison was brought to Salem as a harlot for the men that wanted to experiment, ya know? Then he tried to show them what he was capable of, and he was sent to be burnt at the stake. When the torch hit the ground, and the fire consumed poor Jamison, The Scarlett Crow was created. Long story short, Jamison Crowe cast aside his humanity to become a very murderous and blood thirsty serial killer; he almost ended up eradicating Salem."_

 _"Now," she said waving off imaginary smoke, "It was believed that he was going to live forever, but alas, he died. Such a poetic death, too." She muttered the last part, looking out the window behind the man in front of her. "His daughter, who was known as The Dragon, ripped his heart from his chest and ate it."_

 _The young woman continued to stare at the man, who was absolutely drowning in confusion. "Okay, so why are you telling me all of this?"_

 _She pulled the plastic bag with the ID and tossed it in front of him, "Because another Crowe was born."_

 _His eyes stared at the picture on the ID and, almost as if a lightbulb when off in his head, he looked at the pictures taken from the gas station and the school parking lot. He looked back at the woman with a look of both fear and confusion, "What does this mean?"_

 _She arched her eyebrow at him, and a cruel smiled slid over her features, as she stood up._

 _"It means that we better pray he doesn't learn about his powers."_

•••

A frown was placed upon a young angel's features as she watched the young male, who just committed a grave sin, sleep. Her hand slid out and briefly touched his face, "No wonder he likes you."

She pulled away and returned her sight to the rising sun; the twisted humor that seemed to always reside in her eyes was no longer there–now it was as if her eyes contained the foreboding for a tragedy.

 _Do you really want to play a game with the boy?_

Her eyes looked to a tree that was both still in the night but also in the day, and upon the largest branch sat a crow. Its red eyes contained such overwhelming wisdom, it caused the girl's hand to shake at just a glance. "I had to." She whispered, her lip shaking as she glared at the bird.

 _Did you?_

"Yes."

 _You're scared...Of me? Or the true potential of the boy?_

"Wha -"

 _That boy has such a dangerous future, and yet you still want to play with his fate. It's almost as if you want him to surpass you._

The bird released a noise so loud, it almost seemed like it was cackling at her. "He will never surpass me. I am the Dragon, no being can surpass me!" The bird cocked its head at the girl's outburst.

 _You are no dragon, you are simply a crow–as is that boy you sent away. Ah, you do realize where you sent that boy, right? Or were you too focused on trying to escape?_

The girl's hands flew to her mouth as tears filled her eyes, and her body began to tremble with the realization. "You wouldn't dare, Jamison!" Her hand–outstretched to the crow–shook frantically as she stared at the it; she could only watch it smile at her in such a wicked way.

 _I thought the same thing of you,_ daughter. _Like you said...Game on._

The night faded as the sun kept creeping to encompass the compound; the bird faded to shadows as the light hit its beautiful wings. The girl just stared, trembling, at the tree. She took a sharp inhale as she fell back onto the roof, a noise to her side bringing her back to reality.

She cocked her head to stare at the boy sleeping next to her, "Wake up." She commanded.

His eyes flew open to meet her dark ones; a silver circle appeared in her iris as her pupil slit. Andy's eyes became a reflection of her own,

"Forget the boy you hold closest to your heart." And with that she launched back onto her two feet; with one last peak at the boy, she smirked before launching off the compound, into the forest that surrounded it.

 **Ryden's P.O.V.**

My eyes open slowly to see the night sky, a smile gracing my lips as I cock my head to look at Andy. But where Andy should be is only the night sky, I sit up and look to my other side; again the night sky. A yelp escapes from my lips as I spin around and stare at the night sky; my arms fall to my side as I form a small circle.

"Eternal night." I whisper, falling onto my knees. "I just want to see Andy." I whisper once more, and almost as if the stars were listening to my command, they began to circle and form a mirror that had a sleeping Andy in it. But that Dragon _Bitch_ also lay across from Andy. ' _Forget the boy you hold closest to your heart'._

"Huh?" Was all I could muster as I watched Andy forget me.

"A-Andy." I sobbed out, my hands touching the mirror in front of me.

 _Ryden._

Sobs continued to rack through me, as I mourned over the loss of the memory that the love of my life held for me.

 _Ryden. You're stronger than this._

My head snapped up, the disembodied voice seeming to relax me and give me a weird sense of confidence. "B-But how can I-I be when h-he forgot about-t me?"

 _We've all lost one close to our hearts one way or another, but our blood is different and you know that. You can make him remember you again, Ryden; you're a Crowe._

"I-I don't understand." A gust of air hit my face, causing me to fall backwards. My eyes looked up to see a giant Crow with beady, red eyes staring down at me.

 _You are one of mine, child, and with every new generation, we grow stronger. You, unfortunately, will be the last of us. But as such,_ the crow's head seemed to come closer to my face, _you're the strongest of the Crowe bloodline._ _Now, you need to break the barriers that keep you in my world; shatter_ everything _that keeps you here and..._ escape. _Go to the one you love. Just remember that the dragon is just a crow hidden in fire._

My lips parted slightly as tears fell down my face, and the crow seemed to smile as it once again became part of the shadows. I peeked over my shoulder to stare at Andy on the roof– _mine_.

My fist slammed against the mirror, shattering it and sending the stars back to their homes. However...I was still stuck in this world of eternal night. I slammed my hands down on the non-existent surface below me, as a scream rampaged throughout my body.

A shaky breath escaped my body, my eyes coming to rest on a single spot in this endless night. I could feel my eyes begin to glow, tears stampeding down my face. "Help me, Crowe!"

As the words escaped my mouth, the giant crow formed in front of me and then changed into a human form. My mouth hung only loosely as I stared at my own face; the eyes were such a pale silver that it made them haunting. "Do you know the cost that the gods will take if I help you?"

A tear slid down my cheek and, as I internally accepted the cost of his help, my hands came to rest upon his cheeks. "I do."

A tear slid down his own as he let out a small laugh, "And are you okay with losing it?"

"Yes." The ghostly words escaped my mouth.

"Then, forgive me." He whispered as he pushed his lips against mine–it was weird at first but it only took a moment before I began breathing in his essence. His powers were soon filling my totality, his mind was joining mine. He smiled against my lips, "This is my first time kissing a boy."

A quiet laugh rolled off my tongue as I pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Goodbye Jamie." I whispered as he collapsed against me and became stars once again; my eyes returned to that single spot. A tear traveled down my cheek as I felt godly hands reach around me and cover my eyes.

"Shatter." With that word, the hands pulled back, traveling through my body; taking both my sight and my tears with them.


	6. False Hopes

_**Part 6: False Hopes**_

 _ **(A/n if you have any questions about this work please pm me)**_

" _Shatter_."

 _It was that simple, two-syllable word that brought about the end of him, after so much catastrophe and pain; his eyes were gone. Ryden had the faint impression that losing your eyesight should hurt, but all he felt was fear and apprehension. His powers, though, were overwhelming. They pulsed under his skin like another type of blood, isotonic and yet ready to burst, to make him implode like a sacrifice. He knew what he had to do, and he knew what was going to happen once all of this was done._

Ryden opened his eyes, a brilliant galaxy of countless stars and boundless darkness filling his view. A godly presence soon surrounded him, the purity and power soon encompassing him. It was like wadding into the ocean, slowly sinking into the deepest parts of it. A voice, melodic but not quite as kind, filled his ears; causing tears to rise in his eyes, burning them uncomfortably. "Alright," he whispered in something like resignation, holding his hand out and arching his back. "Don't take my sight; I can't afford to lose it. Take—take my voice instead."

He wasn't sure if the godly, otherworldly presence visiting him would accept his request, but a sudden movement of the stars, like they were a river, and the galaxy filling his throat like fire answered his question. "Thank you," he mouthed to the emptiness.

 _The silence was endless._

Sunlight filtered through the thin skin of Ryden's eyelids, his eyeballs shifting as the rays disturbed his slumber. His eyes opened gently, taking in the view of the sun shining through the overbrush of lively trees, bathing the forest in its golden glory. A noise to his right caused his head to shift, eyes meeting those of a mother doe and her growing fawns. One of the precious fawns approached him without caution, their nose touching his and their tongue sliding across his cheek.  
The touch was so gentle - so _innocent_ \- that he couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face as he raised his hand and brushed the fawn's fur, a look of peace and relaxation apparent on his face. The fur was soft and warm to the touch, delicate and fluffy with youth and care. Such a small, light source of life in a big, dark world.

The small herd all raised their heads without warning, a sound that could not be heard by any human ears alerting them. The herd immediately ran further into the woods, as he moved his hand away and sat up urgently.

He turned his head left and right, looking around and cocking his head as he tried to get a feel of the surrounding area in a mental landscape. He rose to his feet shakily, breathing soundlessly, and watched the birds above cry and fly away from something. There was a beat of silence; his heart beat once, twice. His eyes were still trained on the sky, serene with expectations.

The snap of a twig caused his head to turn to look behind him, finding a few Sentinel Service agents standing there, guns at the ready; they approached him cautiously, as if he were a wild animal. When the leading agent realized that he was naked, she flicked her wrist in a sign and they all lowered their guns. The leading agent, a nondescript woman, took off her jacket. She draped it over Ryden's lean body and smiled comfortingly. "Let's bring him back to Head Quarters and then continue our search."

Ryden reached out and gently touched her arm, causing her to look down at him, "What's up sweetie?" She asked. Warmth filled him as he wrapped his arms around her, her body shaking with soft laugher, her arms sliding around him; he stared into her, his eyes turning silver. _Sorry_ , he whispered into her mind, apologetically. Her eyes snapped down to look at him immediately, body going stiff. "What are you doing?"

Her squadron looked at them, raising their guns and training them at Ryden. "Release her at once." The voice was calm, but demanding. It promised violence. It made him bitter.

He obeyed and let go of her, but apologies that weren't as honest anymore flooded his mind when his hands flew in front of him, twisting and tensing as if he were trying to rip the very fabric of the world apart. His mind travelled to a certain hazel-eyed boy, remembering how his hands would move similarly when his destructive powers came into play. A slight smile danced over his lips, head caught in the world of memories as the woman previously in his possession screamed in agony. Her body was being forcefully torn apart into two gruesome pieces, and after a moment, in which blood splattered through the earth like a sacrifice, the body was cast aside.

"Mary!" one of the agents shouted, pulling their trigger and emptying their ammo in one go. But all Ryden had to do was raise his hand, and the bullets stopped before they could even go near him. He stared at the growing fear in their eyes, gripped by an overwhelming sense of guilt; he trained his eyes somewhere behind the agents in order to get a grip. His hand dropped and the bullets followed, falling to the ground with clattering thuds.

"Hands behind your head."

Ryden watched an agent take charge with slight surprise, the fear and nervousness ruling the agent's actions turning the surprise into apathy. The mutant's eyes rolled over the agent so intently that the man's hand never left his gun, even if it did shake somewhat. Ryden bit his lip as the agent approached him, closing his eyes and beginning to blow air at him—the air transcended its normal limitations, presenting itself as an iridescent glow. It traveled into the body of the new leading agent, and soon enough, his body began to spasm and shake at the foreign power entering his body. He grunted and doubled over, hands gripping his stomach at the intense pain he was undergoing.

The squad, once again, looked at their momentary commander in pain, raising their guns to stop all the madness and chaos that this one, single boy was bringing. Their leader choked on the words that had been forcefully caught in his throat, but he was able to say "fire" before falling completely silent, his pitiful cries of pain aside. The squad grimaced and aimed the guns at the boy again, hands shaking slightly as their fingers gripped the trigger steadily. And then, in unison, like a single mind, they all fired.

Bullets rained at an agonizing pace, all sounds slain except for the symphony of gun fire; it wasn't until the _click_ of an empty gun, that they stopped firing. The squad looked over at the smoke and the formerly beautiful, now damaged forest, their breaths catching in their throats and their knees beginning to buckle. "How?" One soldier whispered to no one in particular.

The boy continued staring at them, a look of annoyance resting solidly on his face as he stood amongst the carnage created by none other than those trying to stop it. His hand raised slowly, energy appearing to swirl around his body like a personal tornado; his eyes began to glow a fiery gold as the energy built up in his palm, blindingly bright and just as hot.  
"Ple—please don't do this!"

Ryden only raised his head in response, gazing at them with eyes that held the wonders of the universe, that were just as beautiful; but not a single emotion lay in the oceanic depths. He clenched his fist, giving the soldiers a small feeling of hope; then released his grip, the energy exploding outwards in a beam.

"N—!" They tried to scream as the energy destroyed their bodies, but not even a god could've spoken a word in the face of such power.

He lowered his hand, watching the energy beam dissipate with empty eyes, and examining the madness he had unleashed. The spot where the soldiers once stood was replaced by an enormous crater, ashes dancing through the air like the withering leaves of fall. He nodded to himself, then turned and glared at their leader, still shriveling in pain.

 _Pussy_ , he thought bitterly, watching the grown man grunt and wiggle in pain like a worm. He turned and snapped his fingers—the energy formerly residing in the agent escaped his body in a single moment, bringing him the ultimate pain and, in the end, stopping his heart. Maybe it shouldn't be as poetically befitting as it seemed to be.

Ryden hummed and turned around, wrapping the jacket tigher around himself and dragging his hand over the rough, but somewhat comforting and welcoming tree trunks. Some bark would slice the paper-thin veil called skin every now and then, as he strode through the woods, but he'd continue, smearing his blood without a care in the world; like returning what was taken, bit by bit.

The sound of someone cursing broke his attention and regretfully lured him towards the clearing. He cocked his head and stared at a golden maiden, intrigued by her very presence. She had beautiful golden locks, sliding down her bare back like a cascade, and a curvy figure that was admittedly tantalizing, even if Ryden preferred the scrawny physique that was his Andy.  
The thought sent a pang through his chest, and so he decided to focus on the task at hand; assessing.

The maiden had dark skin, like she'd been bathed in chocolate and sprinkled with sugar. Her dress was light, loose, and ivory, like something you'd see on a lost girl in a cartoon. She definitely looked different than before, didn't she?

He took a step forward and purposely snapped a twig, watching as her head jerked up so fast. He nearly flinched in sympathy for the whiplash she must've gotten, even if she didn't show it. Right now, he was focusing on the small mirage of fear swirling in her eyes.

"Who's there? I can crush you in a single instant." She stepped forward and fire exploded from where her foot landed; she waved her hand as the fire spread throughout the clearing, burning any living thing that happen to be residing there with the simplicity of calamity. In that moment, Ryden saw her eyes clearly; honey was being swirled over a golden coin.

"Hmph!" She smirked and turned back to continue whatever she was doing, curls bobbing up and down. "Showed 'em."  
Ryden cocked his head at her confidence–he really hoped that she wasn't all bark and no bite, or this would be real easy and over real quick. He took a step and then another, and soon, he found himself walking toward her like this was a meet and greet.

The sound of the grass crunching and shifting beneath his bare feet was loud enough to alert most to his presence, and she was definitely no exception. Ryden could almost hear her roll her eyes as her shoulders rose and then dropped in a sigh; she turned around, a fire casually arising beneath her fingertips. All it took to extinguish it was a smile from him.

They both remained frozen in place, neither willing to make the first move as they looked at each other head to toe. "H-how'd you get out?" She stuttered, glaring daggers at him.

He said nothing and simply continued to stare, gaze somehow causing her an overwhelming sense of anxiety. It crawled through her stomach like a rodent until she thought she'd puke if she so much as parted her lips. He took another step forward but stopped as he stared at the burnt grass, shaking his head but eventually continuing forward nonetheless. She inhaled sharply and watched as the grass rejuvenated under his feet, even greener and livelier than before her wrath befell it.  
"What are you?" She hissed out, unconsciously backing up from the god standing in front of her. Battles between the higher beings were always fun, but chess was a great source of anxiety, no matter how talented you were.

As a way to respond, Ryden held out his hand, palm up, and allowed energy to swirl atop it until it made the perfect shape of a crow. "No." She whispered, tears forming in her honey-gold eyes, the meaning of this knowledge registered in her brain.  
Her foot slid aside, the gold in her eyes turning into a vibrant shade of orange, one that reminded him of lava; she definitely looked aesthetically pleasing, if just as dangerous. Her cheeks began expanding, along with her chest, and then she exhaled aggressively towards him. His jaw dropped slightly as a gust of fire was blasted towards him, not unlike a geyser; he nodded with a twinge of exasperation and thrust his hand outwards, carelessly touching the flame and feeling its energy like it was just harmless air. He slid his smooth, unmarked fingertips along the live fire, redirecting the stream away from him.

He smiled softly and shook his head at her, perfectly incarnating a disappointed parent. She answered by grunting and preparing to truly dive in, stopping suddenly as she saw swirling strings of all colors around her. It was like she stood in a spider's web, except there wasn't a single shade or color that was the same as the other, and everything looked more like an intricate bird cage. "What the—?"

She looked over at Ryden, observing his closed eyes with growing dread. His lips were slightly parted, his skin seeming to glow under the breaching sunlight and the gleam of the colorful cage. He opened his eyes and smiled at her; it was such a sad, apologetic twist of the lips that it called back the tears she'd previously chased away. His lips slowly moved in a motion that made it apparent that he was trying to form words, but the strings all began to glow a single shade of gold that could be mistaken for the fiery glow he saw in her soul; and then, there was nothing.

She looked around her and saw only darkness, the fluttering of her golden curls dimming down to nothing, and the ivory of her swirling dress being tainted by whatever color emptiness was. When her gaze traveled to the ground, she wasn't even surprised; nothing, once again. She couldn't even feel the floor beneath her feet. There was a slight cry, causing her head to snap up; her eyes found a red crow perched upon nothingness, its white eyes peering into the very depths of her scorching soul.

"Jamison," she whispered with melancholy, outstretching her hands in a silent invitation that had once been sent, but never answered. Flames seemed to dance under her skin, quite possibly in tune with whatever melody had been infused into her soul, and definitely to the beat of a nonexistent, ironically cold heart. The crow cried and flew at her, passing right through her, the shadows that they both held seemed to take over nothing—yet at the same time it became everything.  
"Ah," she murmured, a bittersweet smile dancing over her lips as her fingers began to fade into ash in front of her eyes, unleashing the flames in her veins. "I _died_."

 _Don't we all?_

Ryden opened his eyes and examined the devastation that he brought about, looking at his hands—surprisingly, the skin had completely reformed itself—and then looked over at the meadow that had been completely eradicated. Some of the trees were on fire, much to his sorrow. He cringed and looked around, a small sense of guilt overwhelming his heart.

The sound of footsteps and shouts distracted him, and his whole body turned around without him the even knowing; to his shock, the Mutant Underground ran from the forest, all in varying states of disarray and panic or shock. Tears began to pour from his eyes as he ran towards them, his lean body launching forward and smashing into Andy, bringing them both to the ground. He could hear the brunette breathe in sharply as Ryden's tackle knocked the breath out of him; the sound of his heartbeat in Ryden's ears as he placed them over Andy's chest reminded him of their single night together.

Andy looked at him with heartbreaking confusion, then looked at everyone around them desperately, his eyes pleading for help while the sobbing boy clutched onto him; Ryden's sobs only coming with more intensity when the love of his life spoke quietly. "Uh, who are you?"


	7. An Incomplete Requiem

**Part 7: Heart Break**

 **(A/n if you have any questions about this work please pm me)**

"Rye." Lauren whispered, grabbing his wrist in a feeble attempt to pull the suffering boy away from her confused brother. The boy in question achingly pulled himself off Andy, tears threatening to fall down his pale cheeks once again as he turned and wrapped his arms around Lauren.

He felt a jacket get draped around his shoulders softly, warmth managing to crawl its way into his cold bones. Not even then did he dislodge his hold on the girl, whom seemed just as upset as him, hands tracing a soothing path down his back. Silence reigned over the group, excluding the wretched sobs that Ryden let forth.

"Ryden." His weeping moderately calmed down, and he turned to face Reed when the man softly requested his attention. "What happened here?"

Ryden opened his eyes, dutifully purging himself of all emotion. His eyes locked onto Reed's and he pointed at himself, zipping the jacket up as an excuse to avoid looking at the other mutants, wrapping the warm, oversized article tighter around himself.

"You mean _you_ did this?" He nodded at the simple question asked of him, looking up as if he had not a single trouble. Reed simply shook his head, evidently deciding this was not the time to begin delving into this issue—God knew they had a river of those—and motioned for everyone to follow him. "Come on, guys. More Sentinel Services agents are probably on their way."

Ryden followed blindly, eyes roaming over Andy's scrawny frame as he passed him; he knew he was simply rubbing salt in wounds both old and new, and that he was administrating himself injections of the worst kind of torture—but...he just couldn't help it. A smile that could only be described as bittersweet, like a plea for forgiveness. for resentment and, for salvation; it was all manifested in the small twist of the corners of his lips and a single tear falling down his cheek.

Their steps were rushed as they made their way to Headquarters, the mildly familiar building packed and buzzing with the powerful energy of fear and panic. It could almost be tasted in the air, like death's sweet perfume, or the gentler essence of fate.

"Go upstairs and get dressed then meet us down here." Ryden nodded mechanically at the simple orders, travelling upstairs calmly. His attitude contrasted with that of the other kids upstairs, considering they'd completely sunk into what could only be defined as "panic mode". It'd almost be funny, if the situation wasn't so tragically dire. He looked away and approached his _empty_ cot—he made quick work of looking under it and yanking the backpack he'd left there - what felt like years ago - opening it and finding his favorite hoodie and jeans. He made a poor imitation of laughter for himself as he pulled the clothing on, soft fabric - a soothing presence on his previously cold skin - as his bare toes wiggled up at him.

Each step down the stairs was unsurprisingly agonizing; he knew that once he saw Andy again - the dorky, chaotic, angry and strange boy - would be the only thing he'd be able to think about. It was rather sad, really, but then again, Ryden had always seemed fond of the prospect of divine, self-applied punishment. Except he wasn't.

He paused on the steps, just watching everyone begin to form a line, as if he was taking in a scene before _it_ took _him_ and destroyed him. "Our escape route," Caitlin whispered in a sort of self-explanatory wisdom, striding past him...

Gunshots rang out without warning, eliciting shouts and murmurs to flow through the collapsing dream known as the Underground; the line in front of him began to pass rocks from one person to the other, very clearly attempting to clear the way. As he stared at the line, swallowing loudly, he had to admit, it wasn't a bad idea; however, as his nerves got the best of him, he began to doubt it. He felt guilt permeate his mind, grimacing like he'd been forced to suck on a lemon, but nevertheless, he decided to give into his selfish desires and, turned around, jogging up the stairs to watch Andy in action.

He observed as they fought and surprisingly took a win; it was so good, so sweet and utterly _addictive_ to see the satisfaction, the _joy_ on Andy's face. A dorky smile adorned his features for all of ten seconds, before someone's shout notified him of the simply _wonderful_ news; the Hounds were back. Caitlin ran past him to join the rebellion, and while he had to admit, he did momentarily consider helping, he didn't make a single attempt to join the fray though. A moment later, a wave of energy crashed through the building, sending them all flying through the air; fear filled him as he seemed to see it all in slow-motion, before it all sped back up as he landed on his side painfully, hearing grunts of protest that told him the others' landing hadn't been any more pleasant.

He gritted his teeth and rose to his feet, marching down the stairs with a confidence that might've been rage or might've been simple recklessness; his back straightened as he came to stand in front of the line of salvation, not bothering to linger. Their eyes followed him, looks of shock and desperation, as he approached their only hope of escape; he grabbed the bulky man at the beginning of the line and used all the strength in his lanky body to push the guy behind him. His hand became a fist as he took a deep breath, energy building around his small fist, seemingly to strengthen it; he could feel his bones harden and grow taunt, his skin becoming armor—his feet took him to the very mouth of the opening and his fist shot out.

Energy burst from the point of collision, sending the incredible amount of remaining rocks out and clearing the escape route. With his out-of-the-blue duty now fulfilled, Ryden turned and booked it out of there and to his foolish beloved. Andy grunted as he stumbled back, looking up at Ryden; unbeknownst to the brunette, he had loved this boy, yearned for him, shared with him a moment of intense passion and pleasure—and then it was all ripped away. The sweet irony of love and war was the greatest sight to behold.

A glare entered Andy's eyes as he straightened himself out, performing a useless attempt at blowing his over grown bangs out of his face. "You should probably get out of here."

Tears formed in Ryden 's at the malice that Andy was throwing at him; he supposed he couldn't blame him. After all, while Ryden knew him, the same could no longer be said for Andy. He shook his head and stood firm, much to Andy's confused irritation. Lauren looked at him, a pleading look on her face; his breath hitched in his throat and he continued to shake his head, as if trying to deny the inevitable, but even so, he turned and joined the escaping group.

The moment he was able to get outside he stopped, eyes staring at the sky; it was a ridiculously beautiful day, which was both amusing and utterly infuriating, but even as a bittersweet grin crossed his features, an overwhelming feeling was entrapping him. He turned back around to face the Headquarters and felt his bitterness morph into melancholy.

Andy gripped Lauren's hand, a foreign feeling of calm and safety erupting within him as their powers began to mesh, minds seeming to become one—Andy could see through her eyes like they were his own, and breathing was easier than ever before. He didn't even know how he'd been able to live this long without this. Their powers were extending towards the Hounds, ready to consume everything like the ever-hungry wolf they would always be, but a force - that just barely managed to even slightly match them in power - hit them, quickly separating them. "Andy!" Lauren screamed as the hounds began to march on them.

The sound of footsteps drew everyone's attention, their eyes beheld the entrance of another mutant. Their first thought—if they could even think amidst all the madness—was, not unreasonably, that he must be an idiot; a lot of people wondered if he was, that day, and had he heard, Ryden wouldn't have been able to blame them.

"Ryden!" A scream was heard from outside, but the Hounds, undeterred, raised their hands in a powerful attempt to swat him away.

He took a step forward and all the hounds were sent flying back, pillars of energy forming and deforming all around them. He looked at Lauren and motioned towards Andy then the door; she nodded and got up. "Andy, get your ass up now; we need to go."

Andy was not amused; he grunted in response but pulled himself up nevertheless, mumbling colorful curses—his annoyance was bone chilling. In a moment the Hounds were crawling to their feet, portraying to be unfazed, but as soon as they did, they were brought back down with a single look. Lauren and Andy shuffled past him approaching the exit, but before they escaped, Lauren paused and looked back at Ryden for the last time, hesitation swimming in her big eyes. "Rye, are you sure?"

He looked back at her with a teary grin, giving a small nod only to look back at the Hounds. They were pitiful beings, twisted and ruined to fit unholy purposes that no one should have to fulfill; he felt sadness bubble up in his breast. _Andy_ , he whispered mentally to Andy, beckoning him forth gently. The tall boy looked back curiously as Ryden strode over to him, eyes widening in surprise and slight apprehension when Ryden's fingers wrapped around Andy's waist; the boy leaned forward and gently connected their lips, a small sound of confusion and what might've been pleasure echoing in the back of Andy's throat. A small tear slid down Ryden's cheek as he reveled in the taste of the boy he so loved, pushing said boy back and towards his older sister. "I love you, Andrew Strucker," he spoke finally, voice slightly scratchy from lack of use; he watched Andy's features contort in further confusion and even an unconscious bit of pain while the boy stumbled away.

He smiled softly at his boundless, reckless actions; the knowledge of the consequences for everything that he'd done was approaching, failed to remove his smile. He waited until he was certain that Andy and Lauren weren't anywhere near before he fell to his knees, a sob raking through his body.

 _The right to speak was taken from you, and yet you still spoke. The punishment for your infringement is—_

His eyes snapped open, hand reaching for the sky like it held the key to his impossible salvation; stars filled the room like fireflies and the sky darkened exponentially. The Hounds looked at him, mere ghosts and shells of whom they'd once been, and their hands rose, ready to fire, but Ryden only smiled simply.

His skin began to glow with energy, like light had filled his veins; his eyes were glowing a goldish-yellow; his hand touched his lips as the corners of his mouth quirked upwards in a final smile. "One day soon, my love."

 _I hope..._

His hand dropped back to his side limply, his legs forcing him to a standing position, a cough raking through him in his rare moment of seriousness—laughter burst from the pit of his stomach at his own expense, a morose but amused sound and he rubbed another tear from his eye. The arms of the Hounds wheeled back and then launched forward, their force crashing into him with the force of a monster truck; the two energies began to mesh and clash, pressuring each other with the sound of a boiling pot, before the choice was made. " _Overruled_ " he hissed, feeling the energy beneath and around him reach its capacity.

 _One day..._

Andy touched his lips and turned back a single moment to stare at the HQ, worry drizzling in his eyes like honey; he'd moved on a reflex, something unknown and strange urging him to stare and act. He took a step towards the building when a giant beam of light erupted from the center of it, swirls of light circling around the bigger beam, until finally, it all collided into one; the windows all lit up, and the walls were filled with veins of luminous power. His hazel eyes widened, breath hitching in his throat as the ginormous beam of light seemed to implode on itself, leaving a small orb of fluttering light still in the air—the HQ was gone, much to their surprise. The ball then exploded in a blinding haze, sending the Strucker siblings flying back painfully. He was in midair, a bird, feather's white as snow and eyes a shining amber, flew across the sky; away from the center of the devastation, leaving Lauren and Andy to crash, uncertainty crawling through their lonely and jumbled minds.

 _You'll be reunited..._

Andy looked at his family and then at Lorna, inexplicable despair and panic taking over his chest as Lauren reached out towards him, tears making her eyes shine; isolation filled his soul, but still, he steeled his resolve and turned away, leaving the Mutant Underground far behind.

 _With the one you cherish._

The Frost sisters looked at Andy with unveiled uncertainty, peering into his mind and unexpectedly, all they could find, no matter how far they dug, was a black hole. The three of them searched through the black hole, tilting their heads when the only thing they could see was an immaculate, snowy white feather that undoubtedly belonged to a bird...Esme reached out and gently grasped the feather, eyes widening as white light exploded from each beautiful line of what used to make up a wonderful creature's mark. The sisters were forcefully cast out of his mind, leaving them woozy and confused, when Andy's lips parted in an almost scream, hazel eyes filled with the horror that came with memories.

 _From the bottom of my heart, I..._

" **Rye**."

 _I hope one day, you'll be reunited with the one you cherish._


End file.
